Scuf Valor Pro review

pcgamer.com:

The Scuf Valor Pro has given me a taste of something I now don't want to do without: a robust, quality, versatile, performance-enhancing controller. It's a genuine pleasure to use, so much so that I find myself picking it up and pressing its myriad buttons and twizzling its thumbsticks even when it's not plugged in.

But therein lies the kicker: «when it's not plugged in». Yes, this is a wired controller, and this pesky little fact unfortunately broke the spell the Valor Pro had over me quicker than I could say «but wired connections lower latency!» It's not that there's no place for a wireless controller in the market per se, it's just I don't feel that place should be at the $100 price point—not for PC gaming, anyway, where much competitive gaming is done on keyboard and mouse.

To be clear, and to keep us on the same page, a $100 price point is a marvel for such a high-quality gamepad—it's close to half the MSRP of the Scuf Instinct Pro or Scuf Envision Pro, for instance. And the Valor Pro is very high-quality, from its mechanical buttons to its Hall effect thumbsticks and satisfyingly clacky back paddles, not to mention its sheer versatility thanks to trigger mode toggles, back paddle profiles, and modular thumbsticks.

But it's wired, and no number of quality buttons can distract me from that cable stringing its way across my legs and snaking over my carpet. That's less than ideal at this $100 price point.

Compatibility: Xbox, Windows
Connectivity: USB-C
Ports: USB-C, 3.5 mm headset (Xbox only)
Thumbsticks: Hall effect
Thumbstick layout: Asymmetric (Xbox-style)
Weight: 260 g / 0.57 lbs
Price: $100

To give the devil its due, there's certainly an argument to be made for a wired connection on a controller like this. The controller is designed for «pro-level control, speed and responsiveness» and wired connections can offer better response times than wireless ones. Plus, there's a chance wired controllers will fare better at LAN parties and in-person tournaments as